Hope From The Dark
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: Trade story! For my friend Storm Dracona


~Hope From The Dark~

The semi desert night air was cool enough that faint visible wisps of vapor from heated breath were visible. There was only old, yellowing street lights lighting the just as old warehouse district of Penance. The town on a whole was showing it's age, past its prime and economic health. Even its pride of former gold and oil rushes was sagging under drought and the lack of random traffic that used to come from a winding free way.

So much lost to an interstate that cut through the land too far away from Penance and no resources, many were bitter about it. Some people stubbornly stayed, others were trapped for now, plans and dreams were being equally plotted and crushed.

It was perfect as far as a curtain few mechanical beings, especially the one who loved messing with people's heads. And the free range of open road and desert.

Right now though, the mech in question was in an award position, trying to avoid and get away from the human voices so not to be spotted, thus blowing his dubious cover. His partner would gut him if the mech got spotted... again.

Hey when your un-bonded mate was a former assassin and current second in command of the army you were apart of, you didn't tick her off!

The mech paused before he moved again, stopping his transformation before it started as he was able to tell what was said, or rather yelled. Easing his frame along the side of the building beside him, he dimmed his optics to a bare glow as he peered over top of the warehouse's corner. What he spotted was a form much smaller them him, as was most of all the native inhabitants of this world.

But this native was hunched over and running in an odd gate that even the mech could tell was wrong. A low rumble came from the broad red and silver chest as the mech homed in on the injuries he could see and then pick up viva a scan that he threw out.

Breathing hard the young woman's breath was visible in a small translucent cloud that fluctuated in size shape. The girl flattened herself against the side of one of the many old buildings, body shaking from adrenalin and too much activity. Her back pressed on the bricks hard enough that they may leave faint imprints on her skin for a few minutes after, or so it felt. Rocks and other such things cut into her bare feet like broken glass as the girl bolted again, rounding another corner trying to escape the two angry voices chasing her.

She barely had the opportunity to glance towards the wall before she got tackled and roughly scuffed and then grabbed by the hair. A belt cracked as she yelped, but oddly didn`t scream at the treatment. Used to abuse but still her eyes widen and then dilated in fear at the scared face above the girl. The man bared his teeth in something that was most defiantly not a smile.

He reeked of booze and sludge from work, having not showered before coming home. "Thought you`d get away did you?"

A low, grating growl echoed out of the darkness, it was impossibly deep, metallic and in-human. Layered with a power engine laced in, there was also the sense of something big moving swiftly. The closest light to the two humans was smashed and for a moment a pulse of some kind of energy lit up the night blindingly bright in the dark, fired from above the humans' heads and blowing out the other lights.

Danni, the girl gave a frightened cry at the light, sound and indistinct image of the metallic 'monster.' She yelped as the girl was thrown sideways by her hair, impacting the ground and feeling her lip and other parts that scrapped the payment start bleeding. Danni tried to stagger up and away to run, but ended up in a more shuffling, yelping again as something hard dropped from above. Making the girl run into it instead, the warm and metal thing didn't move again as another came down near.

Looking up her breath caught at the sight of two bright blue orbs. Almost like fat blue lightning bugs that were waaaay up. She was too stunned to move at the dark silhouette against the stars, carefully removing her hand from what had to be a leg.

The optics focused on her for a moment before the metal behind her moved. Lifting above and over before slamming down, cracking the roadway as the... monster snarled at the other humans, watching them get jarred out of that kind of open mouthed shock. A low long roar came from the metallic chest as they finnally bolted.

Trembling Danni watched her 'parents' ran, unable to follow. Exhausted from running and sore from the beatings she belatedly realized she was between the beings feet. The girl felt both compelled to thank the monster, yet at the same time terrified of directing its wrath to her. So she sat thereto scared to move, amber eyes widened looking up as if trying apprehensively to see the glowing eyes and face Danni had glimpsed before. The human could only the large feet that shifted, moving with more speed then something that large should be able to.

It was a confusion of movement as the mech charged, altering his stance and with enough calculated force he not-so-gently kicked the man. Watching him skittered ragdoll like over the pavement and into the darkened shadows created from the broken street lights. Engine growling again he lifted his right arm, feeling the forearm transform into half of his six-cylinder ion cannons, the tri-barrels hummed to life and fired.

"Little fraggers." The mech grunted, "Be glad I didn't kill you. Should." He growled again, but Optimus would pitch a moral fit that would rival the size of their base.

Moving back the large mech turned and knelt down. Thick, metal and massive fingers wrapped around her lifting the girl up off the ground and into the air before Danni would find herself in the giant's grasp. His other arm changed back to normal.

"Are you okay kid?" The mech asked, his voice rumbling in a softer tone then before.

Danni wince for the triple reason of being picked up, that the mech was addressing her (thus making Danni the focus of his attention) and that the wounds on her person erupted into new fiery pain at the contact.

The Danni tried not to make a sound, but did anyways curled slightly in his palm she nodded shakily and then flinched as the mech lightly touched her back with his other hand. The mech rubbed his forefinger and thumb against each other, frowning at the colored, organic fluid on his finger tips.

"I will be..." The human had a very soft spoken voice, which spoke of her nature, and if it had been another human that just saved her, her whisper wouldn't have been heard. But she was, the mech heard and rumbled his engine.

"Now you will be."

The girl couldn`t have been more than eighteen or nineteen if that, so Danni was both young enough to adapt but mature enough not to be completely senseless. She was getting more curious as it sank in that she wasn't going to be squished, tossed or eaten, Danni peered upwards to try to make out the mech's face in the dark. "Thank you."

The end of one large digit gently brushed over her back again, but strangely it was barely felt this time. The mech growled once again as he shifted his cradling hold so Danni was now in the natural curve of his hand, "Slaggin' fleshies..." he muttered glancing at the darkness where the unconscious humans were and reflexively moved the girl closer to his frame to as much to keep her from seeing his made mess, and to protect.

At first Danni tensed at being moved, but the warmth the mech's metal chest was addicting in the cold night air. Danni leaned into it and the light hold around her. "...who are you?" She asked, her manor very mellow.

Another rumble came from the mech as he felt the girl slowly loose a bit of tension, "Cliffjumper." He said walking, glancing between his new passenger and the ground. Another part of his attention was split to focus on scanners that swept out, seeking friend, foe and anything interesting.

"I`m Danni..." The girl's head tilted at she felt the faint sway of his stride, oddly soothed by it and the deep rumble, "Where are we going?"

_Aw scrap_. Cliffjumper thought as he realized he hadn't thought this through... "Away," The mech said aloud after a brief moment of thought. At the same time he didn't seem to have the little voice in his head going 'maybe I shouldn't do this.'

Or Cliffjumper was just ignoring it.

...Probably the former, his stride long enough to put distance but not thump too loudly or farther tear up the road.

"...you`re taking me with you?" Danni asked, she didn`t sound afraid per say, cautious, maybe hopeful and confused, escaping her home and this damn town had always been a pipe dream.

"Thought that was obvious," Cliffjumper flashed a grin, fangs showing a moment before he covered them, "Like the pit I'm leaving you here after what I saw." he added with a snort and another growl that took a deeper more vibrating tone.

"Not that I`m unthankful..." Danni spoke hesitantly, "But why do you care what happens to me?" she was used to people turning a blind eye, ignoring her plight or the danger she was in.

A rolling sound came out of the mech, from the 'gut' to chest and out, it'd take a moment to realize it was his equivalent of a chuckle, "Never was one that could stand to see sparklings treated badly and I've always had a soft spot for younglings."

The girl actually smiled despite herself, it wasn't very big but at least real and giving a soft sigh. "Thanks"

That rumbling came back, a low and thrumming vibration, "Arcee's so goin' to slag me." He chuckled, glancing down before tucking Danni closer to his armored midsection. Scanners flickered out for human law enforcement as Cliffjumper debated transforming yet or not.

"I`d hope not..." she fidgeted slightly, curling up in the cold closer to his body heat.

"Not in the bad way at least," Cliffjumper grinned, not too concerned, and then shifted the human, so Danni was in his left hand as the claws of the other extended and searched for that right spot in his armor. Prying it the thick plate up and opening his armor pocket with a mental command.

Hey if it worked for sparklings it'd work for humans, just no using the energon iv-thing.

Danni blinked at the opening of the plate, befuddled against the mech before looking up at his glowing optics. "Well that's...good." again a confused look was sent at his open armor.

"For me," Cliffjumper chuckled as he put Danni into the armor pocket, carefully dropping her in and sealing it and then his armor again, "Don't panic," his voice rumbled softly from all around and nowhere as Danni tensed at her new posisition initially before she slowly settled as she warmed up trembling nervously.

"...thanks?" The word was uncertainly offered, not sure if the mech could hear her any more.

Cliffjumper purred reassuringly, treating Danni like any other sparkling he'd been in charge of or saved. His form folded into itself as he transformed, for now keeping the girl in the warm armor pocket until her body temp rose and she stopped shaking.

* * *

><p>Queen's note: n.n trade story for my friend Storm Dracona. Danni is her character and we both love Cliffjumper- but no matter how many times we try groaping him, he's not ours<p>

Slaggit.

I know this is sort of a cliché situation fanfiction wise but that's what Storm wants and Cliffjumper gets a hero moment!

Cheers!  
>~Icy<p> 


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